Hopple.



W. E. SELL.

HOPPLE.

APPLIOATIOH FILED MAY 21, 1910.

nu: rvomus PETERS cm, WASHINGTGN, n. c.

I s a 6 lllllil/ 6 Mai/2414 Patented Sept. 6,1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. SELL, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE SELL HORSE GOODS COMPANY, OF CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

HOPPLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

Application filed May 21, 1910. Serial No. 562,730.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, lVILLIAM E. SELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hopples; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvement in hopples, especially that class which is used on trotting and pacing horses, but may be applied to other classes of hopples.

The objects of the invention are, first, to provide a hopple with means which will prevent injury to or chafing of or on the legs of the horse and to form the improved hopple so that it will be easily attached and at the same time provide simple means for the construction of the parts. These objects I attain by the novel construction and arrangement of the parts illustrated'iu the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a perspective view showing the hopple with my improvements applied to the two back and forward hopple rings or bands. Fig. 2 is an enlarged top view of one of the hopple rings or bands. Fig. 3 is a view of the spreader showing one of the connecting strips or clasps properly connected to the spreader also showing the lacing thong.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

The hopple rings or bands are constructed in the usual manner and of the material commonly used in the construction of hop ples of this class which rings or bands within themselves form no specific part of the present invention. The body and supporting straps 2, 3 and 4 are of the usual and well known construction and so far as the present invention is concerned need no specific description. It is well understood that in hopples of this class provision should be made to prevent the side members of the rings or bands 1 from being drawn toward each other in such a manner that they will press or bear against the legs of the horse when a pulling strain is brought upon the ends of the rings or bands. In order to provide against the pulling together of the members of the rings or bands I provide a spreader 5 which spreader is substantially of the form shown in Fig. 3. As shown it is triangular in form and preferably equilat eral and for the purpose of reducing the weight of the spreader proper it is preferably formed of aluminum. This is a question of choice as to material.

The hopple rings or bands 1 are as above stated formed in the usual manner, but in order to provide means for connecting the spreader 5 so that it will be firmly held in proper position which is the position shown in Fig. 2 the strips or, clasps 6 are provided which are formed of such a size and shape as to be wrapped or folded over and upon the members of the rings or bands 1 and for the purpose of securely connecting the strips or clasps t0 the spreader proper they are riveted or otherwise securely connected. For the purpose of providing means for properly gripping the strips or clasps 6 the lacing thongs are provided, which lacing thongs are used in substantially the same way as shoe lacings. For the purpose of assisting in holding the spreader proper in proper relative position the members of the triangle are located adjacent and in contact with the rings or bands which are concaved as illustrated in Fig. 3. The spreader should be located at the points where the ring or band members join and also at the point where the body straps 2 are attached to the rin s or hands. Owing to the fact that the pull upon the rings or bands is exerted where the body straps 2 are connected hence the necessity of placing the spreaders at the point where the body strap and the ring members are joined.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a hopple, the combination of a hopple ring, a body strap secured to said hopple ring, a spreader connected to said hopple ring, the faces abutting against the hopple ring concaved and means for connecting the spreader to the hopple ring, substan tially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of a hopple ring or band, a triangled spreader provided with attaching strips, said attaching strips securely connected to the triangled spreader and means for clamping the attaching strips around and upon the hopple ring, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a hopple, a hopple band or ring, a body strap secured to said hopple band or ring, a spreader of triangular form located in the ring or band at the juncture of the body strap therewith, and means for connecting said triangular spreader to the hopple band or ring, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. A triangular spreader for hopples, a

hopple ring said spreader located in the hopple ring, means for securing said triangular spreader to the hopple ring, the faces of the spreader adapted to abut against the hopple ring being concaved, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two Witnesses.

lVILLIAM E. SELL. Witnesses F. V. BOND, Nrmcs A. SPONSELLER. 

